EDUCATION chiefs are 'playing games with children's lives', according to the mother of a pupil at Cloughwood School.

EDUCATION chiefs are 'playing games with children's lives', according to the mother of a pupil at Cloughwood School.

Kirsty Morton openly wept when she heard headteacher David Smith had resigned due to Cheshire LEA 'meddling' in the way the Hartford school is run.

Mr Smith told the Chronicle he was leaving because he objected to the LEA's plans to admit day cases to the school, which at present is solely residential.

Now Kirsty is worried what the future will hold for her 10-year-old son Daniel and other pupils at the school, which teaches children with educational and behavioural difficulties.

She says Daniel thrives in the stable environment provided by the dedicated staff at Cloughwood, and claims the upheaval can only damage the fragile calm it takes many of the children months and even years to achieve.

'I think the education authority is playing games with our children's lives,' said Kirsty.

'We have not sent our children to a residential school because we don't want them, it's because it is the best place for them. I was heartbroken when Daniel started, he's my life and I adore him. I would like nothing better than to have my son home every night, but that is not in his best interests.

'If Cloughwood starts to take day pupils, the residential children are going to start to wonder why they can't go home too. It is bound to cause upheaval and resentment.

'At Cloughwood, Daniel is in a stable environment and he is starting to fulfil his potential. The school has supported my child so much and teachers are always willing to go that extra mile.'

Kirsty said she had to fight to get Daniel admitted to Cloughwood and is now worried that the LEA's review of all children at the school may mean pupils who have shown great improvements could be forced back into mainstream education.

'I have great concerns that because Daniel is not having problems anymore they are going to say he doesn't need to be at Cloughwood any more and should be back at a mainstream school,' she said.

Kirsty added: 'I went to see David Smith when I heard he was leaving. When he told me it was true I cried. I was devastated because he knows his job inside out.

'Now there is going to be a new head-teacher, but the parents will not meet him until the day after we send our children back to Cloughwood in September.

'Now we are expected to trust our children with someone we have not met. The LEA is showing us no respect.'

A spokesman for the LEA said: 'This authority recognises the excellent work at Cloughwood, but we do have to respect the changing needs of special needs education.

'We have some Cloughwood parents who welcome the changes because they want to spend more time with their children at home. We have stated time and time again that the trend is moving away from isolation to inclusion in mainstream education.'